


Disappointed

by Softchelles



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Betty and Ned are dating, F/M, Far from home speculation, Peter Parker flakes yet again, everything is not what it seems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 18:43:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16180955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Softchelles/pseuds/Softchelles
Summary: “Not a fan of heights?”“Not a fan of many things, especially being stood up.”Orwhat the real Michelle was dealing with while Peter was on the bridge





	Disappointed

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey fam. So this goes hand in hand with my other piece, “This House No Longer Feels Like Home”. Like, they take place simultaneously, in my mind. So if you haven’t read that, I suggest you do. But you also don’t need to in order to read this one. It’s your call, dudes. I don’t think this is something that will actually happen based off of set photos, but it was still a fun concept to think about regardless.
> 
> As usual, sorry it’s garbage.
> 
> Tweet me @softchelles any thoughts, or heck even prompts! I’m looking for distractions this week, so any comments or ideas are greatly appreciated.

He was late.

Which honestly shouldn’t surprise her. Because when was he not? Peter Parker was never on time for anything. He would run in, quite literally run— panting and gasping for air like he had scored the gold in the Olympics on his way to practice, only to show up at the end. She knew that, realistically, she should not have expected anything else from him. There was still the smallest, tiniest weight that pulled deep within her chest. She recognized the pain. Disappointment. 

She didn’t have friends growing up. Disappointment was, however, a constant. Along with loneliness and insecurity. It’s an emotion she avoided at all costs, because being disappointed sucked then, and it sucks now. Except this time, it’s not here because her father’s out at some bar and has forgotten their plans for the evening. It’s because she has plans for the evening. Together, they have plans for the evening. And Peter’s late.

A horrifying thought washed over her, so powerful it nearly knocked her off her feet as she stood in the middle of the fairgrounds, searching the crowd for his face. What if he wasn’t coming? What if he stood her up? What if he never wanted to go out with her at all? Really, it was a dumb thing to think about. Odds are he was off doing Spider-Man stuff. Maybe he was hurt! She was going to feel like such a dumbass if he got hurt, and she was too busy feeling sorry for herself to be concerned. 

But it was also the second time they had planned this— whatever this was. They were testing the waters, trying to see if what they had could work. And he was late.

Michelle pulled at her jacket, tightening the material around her frame to shield her from the late summer breeze. Her other hand came to brush a loose curl back into place.

“MJ!”

Someone was calling her name, but it wasn’t the person she was hoping to see. Still, she forced a tight smile onto her lips. It was all new to her— smiling, having friends, allowing herself to feel so exposed and vulnerable. But still she tried, greeting Ned and Betty as warmly as possible. “Hey... guys.”

“That dress!” Betty gasped, her free hand flying to cover her mouth while the other one held tightly to Ned’s. “It’s gorgeous, oh my God— are you on your date?”

“Thanks, I— uh, I’m just—“

“Where is he?” Ned asked, his own smile faltering as his eyes met hers. There was an unspoken exchange between the two of them, an unaddressed issue that had yet to be acknowledged. 

She knew.

Because of course she knew.

Michelle Jones was many things, but a sucker wasn’t one of them.

And she had a feeling that they knew that she knew, but nobody had actually taken the time to talk about it. Apparently that was a mistake, because now Peter was missing, and they were both concerned, and if they were on the same page they could have worked together to figure out what was going on. But instead, they exchange awkward glances, the unspoken concern hanging heavily in the air.

“Oh my God, MJ. He didn’t flake on you again, did he?” Betty asked, pity dripping from her words. It made Michelle feel sick. 

“I’m sure he’s got a perfectly good explanation,” Ned laughed nervously, which earned him a disgusted look from his girlfriend. “No, no way. That’s twice now in one week. I know he’s your friend, Ned, but honestly. Michelle deserves better.”

Michelle avoided Ned’s pleading gaze, eyes falling to her shoes, studying the way they dug into the dirt on the ground.

“Well, uhhh, hey. Why don’t you hang out with us for a bit?” Ned suggested.

“What? No. No, I’m good, guys, I’ll be fine.”

“Oh come on! Please!” Betty begged. “It will be fun.”

“She’s not going to take no for an answer.” 

Michelle rolled her eyes at Ned’s warning. So this is what it felt like to be on the opposite end of uncompromisable stubbornness. Gross.

“Fine,” she caved, “just for a little bit.”

“Yay!” Betty grinned. “Come on. The swings are that way. We’re going to have so much fun.”

And maybe it was, for a while. The swings were nice. Ned and Betty offered her some popcorn. It was cute watching their faces light up during the games; Betty’s because Ned had won her the teddy bear she had been eyeing, Ned’s because he couldn’t believe he actually won the teddy bear she had been eyeing. Perhaps under different circumstances, she could have enjoyed herself. But the evening progressed, and the weight in her chest grew heavier and heavier.

It grew to be so heavy that she decided to opt out of the Ferris wheel, much to Betty and Ned’s disappointment. “No, really, I’m fine,” she had promised. “Go. I’ll wait down here and keep this little guy company.” She waved the oversized teddy bear for added emphasis. Betty let out a loud sigh. “Fine. But when we get back, you’re sharing cotton candy with us.” 

She watched her friends climb up the ramp towards the Ferris wheel. 

“Not a fan of heights?”

Michelle spun around, the weight in her chest shifting. It was lighter now. It felt like butterflies. Because the voice belonged to Peter.

“Not a fan of many things,” she countered with a frown, her arms folding crossing and squeezing the bear against her ribs. “Especially being stood up.”

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” he asked, arms held out, open and wide as if wanting for praise for doing the bare minimum, as if he was waiting for some sort of participation award.

“Now,” Michelle huffed. “God, you’re not even going to try? With your usual bullshit? What, did you run out of excuses?”

“There’s no excuse,” Peter answered cooly. It was unsettling, in a way. She expected more stammering, rushes apologies, stupid dumb wide eyes that she’d fall for over and over again, no mater how hard she fought it. But in reality, he was calm and collected, staring back at her with an intensity she had never seen before. “There is no justification for leaving someone as wonderful as you out here all on your own.”

“I am more than capable of taking care of myself,” she spat back, a harsh bitterness in her tone. But honestly, he deserved it. His newfound confidence bordered across arrogance, and Michelle was having none of it. 

“You are so beautiful,” he replied by completely ignoring her response. He stepped closer. “Let’s get out of here.” 

“Excuse me?” she laughed in disbelief, though the situation was hardly funny. Her blood was boiling at this point. As he took another step forward, she felt her heart leap in her chest. Not the good way, like when she catches him staring with that awestruck grin on his face, and she has to fight really hard to hold back the blush creeping up her neck. This leap felt wrong, like the way your body warns you something is wrong. Like that moment of panic when you miss one of the steps on the stairs, the shock that alerts you that there’s trouble ahead and keeps you from falling flat on your face. You still stumble a bit, as she was now, backing away slowly. “What’s gotten into you?” she asked.

“Come on,” he coaxed, stepping closer again. “Let’s go.”

He reached a hand up, as if to cup her face. And in another version of this moment Michelle leaned into his embrace. But in this one, she slapped his hand away. When he tried again, she went in for a full fledged punch to his jaw.

He staggered backwards, a hand flying to where she had hit him, fingertips gingerly rubbing the skin. And then he laughed.

Michelle liked his laugh. He laughed at stupid stuff, like his dumb science shirts, but she didn’t mind because it warmed her heart. This one made her feel sick. The nausea only worsened as he spoke again. “This doesn’t have to be so difficult, Michelle. I won’t ask again. Let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He sighed, still wearing the sickening smirk as he shook her head. “I thought you’d be smarter than that. I have to say, I’m disappointed.”

She ignored his statement completely, fists clenching at her sides. “Who are you?” Her voice, filled with anger and confusion, rose above the crowd. But not as loud as the explosion being set off somewhere in the distance, or louder than the screams that followed immediately after.


End file.
